‘Friday Night Lights,’ Season 5, Series Finale: ‘Always’: TV Recap

We’re at the end of “Friday Night Lights,” both the series and the season. But while the East Dillon Lions focus on the state championships, all the individual players are looking forward to life beyond football and possibly, away from Texas. It’s all change, all around.

It’s a bittersweet ending for the show and viewers. This week, Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler were nominated for Emmys, and the show got a nod in the best drama category. Like much of what happened on the show, it was nice to be recognized, but it came too late to save such a worthy cause.

The Taylors are the rock of the show. All the other relationships seem to lean on their strength. But it’s Christmas in Texas and coach and Tami are still fighting about Philadelphia, where Tami received a great job offer. Suddenly Matt rings the doorbell. He takes Julie to the romantic site (no, it’s kind of fitting really) of the Alamo Freeze and gets down on bended knee. Julie, 18, says yes, except that ooops! Matt, 19, didn’t ask permission. I can’t imagine coach is going to be too happy about his teen-age daughter with a wedding ring.

Landry’s back for about 20 seconds. One of our favorites, he gives Matt some good advice on talking to Taylor. Don’t be wishy washy, and maybe not focus on the great living that comes from working in an art gallery. The request does not go well. In fact, there is laughter. And then, anger. “The answer to your question is no. The answer to your question is going to be no today. It’ll probably be no until the sun goes out,” Taylor says. Matt mentions that it’s just a courtesy. That doesn’t go over well either. When Coach Taylor tells Tami, wow, there is some shrill going on.

The two couples sit down for dinner. Coach talks about how marriage requires compromise. Hello, irony? Julie gives them a nice speech about how the Taylors are her role model because they make it work. In one of the best scenes, the Taylors stand outside and Tami says it’s time for Eric to be the one to compromise, but he can’t. He’s just frozen. Tami says she’ll give in. Come on now, Coach Taylor, step it up.

Then Buddy calls to ask Eric to sign the SuperTeam contact with West Dillon before heading to state. Taylor turns the contract down and asks Tami to take him to Philadelphia. I’m sitting in that very city right now, thank you very much. Not a bad place, but don’t go expecting Texas bbq.

Life is finally moving along for our angsty hottie hero, Tim Riggins. He’s rethinking Alaska, thanks to a little Tyra intervention. Coach Taylor tells him to call if there’s anything he needs. Except you know, unless you’re in prison. Tim dances a little dance with Tyra but she’s already moved on, looking past college. They sit out on his land, and talk dreams of building houses and a career in politics. Right now they’re on different paths, but one day, Tim says, they could cross. Uuuggh. Really? Everybody ends up together? And where is Lyla?

Becky is moving out of Billy and Mindy’s to head back with her mom. She and Tim finally work it out and walk away. Their connection was a turning point for Tim Riggins – I loved how he took care of Becky. They’ve formed a nice little unit; Becky and the Riggins family. It was a big giant mess at times, but that’s what made FNL work – it wasn’t all nicely fixed at the 28-minute mark.

Luke comes to apologize to Becky. He wants to be with her forever and ever. Ah, love at 18. Forever, it’s a mighty long time.

Jess’s family is headed to Dallas, as her dad’s BBQ franchise has taken off. Coach offers to put in a call for her. Vince feels so lucky that he’s sharing state with his girl. Vince’s dad is back in the bar. Coach comes by and drops off a ticket to state. The look on Ornette’s face is flat and uninterested. But he picks up the ticket and shows up to see his son play.

We’re finally at the state championships. It feels so familiar, but this time it’s the Lions, not the Panthers who are doing their dance on the field. Awwh, coach is getting all sad, talking about his family. The football game has no narration, just music and touchdowns and cheering. And then despair. It’s 26-21, Hawks, with three seconds left on the clock. All you see is Vince throw the ball, soaring, flying, winging it across the field… and into the arms of a Philadelphia Pioneer player.

It’s a year later and Tami is a dean in Philadelphia, Becky and Luke are schmooching as he heads off to the Army. Matt and Julie are playing house in Chicago. Tim and Billy are building a house together. The East Dillon State Championship Winners banner is being dismantled, as was the whole program. (see, you knew they’d win.)

After five minutes of follow-up scenes set to music, Tim and Billy break the silence with the click of a beer bottle to”Texas Forever.” And Coach Taylor is back on the field telling his new team that showing up at 6 a.m. means 5:45. He and Tami walk off the field together, moving into their new lives as the book closes on the clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose series that was Friday Night Lights.